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‘That’s terrific, Kate, love. It’ll have pride of place on the mantelpiece.’
Ruth presents a shop-bought card and a plant that looked a lot healthier when it was in the garden centre. Gloria hurries away to give it water, like a nurse in A&E rushing a patient to the theatre. Arthur puts both cards on the shelf above the electric fire.
Gloria’s plans to redecorate the house were somewhat stymied by lockdown but the sitting room is freshly painted in light green and there’s a new chintz sofa and armchairs. The small dining room is a rather startling yellow but it’s definitely cheerier than the old wallpaper. Ruth and Kate sit at the table which is laid with a flowery tablecloth and decorated with a vase of dog roses. Arthur passes the plates from the hatch. It’s a cosy domestic scene and, not for the first time, Ruth thanks the fates, or the goddess, for Gloria, who has rescued Arthur from an old age of Co-op meals for one. She has always liked Gloria, who is nine years younger than Arthur but seems almost the same age as Ruth. Simon took a lot longer to come round to the marriage but, during lockdown, he came to appreciate Gloria’s presence. Now he, unlike Ruth, actually refers to her as his stepmother.
As usual, Gloria has cooked a traditional Sunday roast, rather indigestible on a hot day but nonetheless delicious. At least the door to the garden is open, in the hope of blowing away Covid germs. Arthur keeps his cardigan on and shivers theatrically. Ruth thinks of Judy and the children. How will they be spending Father’s Day? She texted Judy that morning and, again, received the one-word answer.Nothing.
After lunch, Gloria asks Kate if she’d like to call on a neighbour whose cat has just had kittens. Kate agrees eagerly and Ruth appreciates Gloria’s tact. She and Arthur sit in the garden, Arthur now wearing his coat although the afternoon is still warm.
‘This is lovely,’ says Ruth. ‘It’s Midsummer Day tomorrow.’
‘There’s no real warmth in the sun, though,’ says Arthur.
Should Ruth be worrying that her father is always cold? Maybe it’s just the innate pessimism of his nature. Simon has inherited this trait. Has she?
‘My garden’s looking lovely at the moment,’ she says. ‘You and Gloria should come and visit.’
‘It’s a long way,’ says Arthur.
‘Only two and a half hours on the motorway,’ says Ruth. Although today it had taken more like four. ‘I’d come and pick you up.’
Arthur says nothing but he raises his face to the sun in a way that seems half acquiescence. Ruth says, ‘It’s Zoe who does all the gardening. I really think you’d like her, Dad. She’s very like Mum in some ways.’
‘I’m sure she’s very nice,’ says Arthur in a slightly quavery voice. ‘But I don’t feel ready to meet her. Thank you,’ he adds after a pause.
‘That’s OK,’ says Ruth. ‘When you do feel ready, just let me know.’
They sit in silence for a few minutes until Kate bursts in asking if Flint would like a kitten friend.
Nelson has his doubts about the Fig Tree from the outset. First, he’s asked to sign in with the NHS app. Nelson has always distrusted anything that tracks his whereabouts and, after Tony’s experience, he doesn’t want to receive a message, days later, saying that he’s been near some stranger with Covid. So he shows his warrant card instead. Then, when he sits down at the large, round table he discovers that the restaurant serves ‘Small Plates’. ‘We recommend two or three dishes each’ says the menu bossily. Nelson likes to order his own food and eat it all himself. With this sharing nonsense, he’s bound to take too much or be forced to eat something revolting like octopus or beetroot. He sits gloomily at the table, the first one to arrive, taking in the décor with a jaundiced eye: whitewashed walls adorned with old farm instruments, straw on the floor, tiny trees on each table. He’s willing to bet that the food will come on wooden boards instead of plates.
He wishes Ruth was with him. She’d give him one of her quizzical looks as soon as she saw the menu. Why did Ruth refuse to come today? She said she thought it was too soon to spend Father’s Day with his daughters. And she’d wanted to see her own dad. Nelson can understand that. But he doesn’t know why Ruth stopped him coming over last night. They have got into the habit of spending Saturday nights together and Nelson had been looking forward to it, as much for the company as anything else. As it was, he’d spent a depressing evening watchingThe Sopranoswith Bruno.
‘Dad!’ Rebecca is walking towards him. Nelson is glad that she’s on her own. He actually likes Asif, her boyfriend, but he feels that the lunch will be easier without him.
‘Laura’s just parking,’ says Rebecca. ‘She picked me up at the station. How are you, Dad?’ She stoops and gives him a kiss. Rebecca, dark-haired like Nelson, has always been the more exuberant daughter. She seems in a particularly good mood today, almost glowing with energy.
‘All the better for seeing you, love.’
Laura, appearing a few minutes later, also looks well. Nelson often worries about his oldest daughter, who has had issues with anxiety and sometimes looks too thin. But she seems well today, her blonde hair in a shorter style that suits her, her eyes bright.
‘Shall we order some wine?’ says Rebecca, after looking at the menu for a few seconds.
‘What about Champagne?’ says Laura.
‘Steady on,’ says Nelson. He’s determined to pay and, in any case, is not a fan of Champagne. If he’s going to drink something fizzy, he’d rather have lager.
‘We have to celebrate Father’s Day,’ says Laura. She’s smiling at him but, suddenly, Nelson sees her smile grow wider and realises that it’s no longer directed at him. He turns around.
And sees his wife and son making their way through the tables.
Chapter 25
Miranda and Michael have made Cathbad a card and the sight of it on the breakfast table brings hot, painful tears to Judy’s eyes. She’s angry, she realises. She’s angry with Cathbad for disappearing, after nearly killing them all with his near-death experience last year. Why the hell can’t he stay at home and be a normal druid?
‘What shall we do with the card?’ says Michael, his voice wavering in a way that makes Judy want to howl or punch someone, preferably her life partner.
‘Put it on the mantelpiece,’ she says. ‘Dad will see it when he gets back.’
